Jury selection was minutes away Tuesday when an Orangeburg man apparently changed his mind and pleaded guilty in General Sessions court to drug charges.

 

Cedric Kearse, 38, of 406 Breezy Drive, pleaded guilty to second-offense trafficking cocaine, second-offense possession with intent to distribute cocaine and failure to stop for a blue light.

Circuit Court Judge Kristi Harrington sentenced Kearse to 13 years for each drug charge and three years for the traffic violation. Those sentences are to be served concurrently.

 

The Orangeburg man was represented by Public Defender Jill Ullman. The case was prosecuted by Assistant Solicitor Kelly Burbage.

 

Kearse’s troubles began April 12 when a Highway Patrol trooper stopped him on Highway 4 outside of Orangeburg. When the trooper approached the vehicle, he noticed the smell of alcohol.

Kearse then sped away from the trooper, leading police on a chase reaching speeds between 90 and 100 mph, Burbage said.

 

The high speed chase was short-lived, however, since Kearse crashed his vehicle, flipping it over. He then tried to run away on foot. Law enforcement officials caught up with the 38-year-old and took him into custody.

 

Inside the vehicle, authorities found nearly an ounce of cocaine.

 

In addition to Burbage’s prosecution, First Circuit Solicitor David Pascoe said he gives credit to the S.C. Highway Patrol’s investigation for the conviction.

 

“Mr. Kearse gets to spend the next 13 years in prison, and that’s without parole,” Pascoe said.

“That’s 26 grams of poison that didn’t make it to our streets.”

 

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